Loud voices awoke Ami from her slumber. She heard shouts, laughter and angry yells, all mixed together to the noise a huge crowd of people was normally making.
Ami rolled around. "No... just a couple of minutes, Mom..."
"Ami-san!" someone next to her said.
Ami winced. "Mikuru... please it's way too early..."
"Ami-san, please open your eyes!"
Ami blinked... and noticed that she wasn't lying in Minako's Tent anymore. She was lying on a wooden bench... standing next to a wide street that was filled with many, many people. Above her, buildings of various sizes were rising... she was in a town. And it looked like it was a pretty big town.
Ami sat up. Next to her, she saw a cute girl with long, reddish hair who looked at her.
"Finally you woke up, Ami-san," she smiled.
Ami recognized that voice. "Mikuru?"
"Yes, it's me! I don't know where we are, but it looks like the gods have sent you on a journey... maybe to find out more about Aurius."
Ami then realized that she wasn't wearing her old clothes anymore... she was clad in a long, grey robe with wide sleeves and a hood that was hanging down her back. "How did I get those clothes?" she murmured.
"Obviously, these were given to you by Ami-sama," Mikuru pointed out. "Regarding from their look, she probably wants you to pose as a mage of the Grey Guild."
"As a MAGE?"
"I think it's just logical, after all, how else are we gonna explain your magical abilities? You might not have received them from the astral energy that Mada's sacrilege has brought to the world, but who will see the difference?"
"And what's the Grey Guild?" Ami wondered.
"There are three major guilds of mages on Aurius," Mikuru explained. "The White Guild of Light - or simply White Mages - want to use magic to smite all the demons and everything evil. The Brotherhood of Wisdom - also known as Black Mages - prefer to use their magic for their own advantages. They mostly have no scruples when using them, although there might be exceptions. And then there is the Grey Guild... they mostly stay neutral and stay out of the conflicts between the white and the black guild. They rather are intent on learning more and more about magic."
"I see..." Ami murmured. "I'm supposed to play the part of a grey mage, so I won't stand out too much... but where are we, Mikuru? Do you know this city?"
"I'm not sure, but there are many people around here... so I'm sure it is one of the big cities of the Middle Realm. Maybe Trallop or Lowang..."
"Okay... and what am I supposed to do again?"
Mikuru smiled. "I'm sure we'll find out in due time. Most of the goddesses like to be a bit cryptic when sending mortal on a mission..."
"And here I thought I could stay up in Alveran and learn everything from my older self, in the peaceful library... stupid me... how could I do that to myself?"
"Ami-san... maybe we should find out where we are. We won't accomplish anything if we stay in one spot."
"I suppose you're right," Ami sighed. "Okay, let's go!"
The gathered what few things they had on themselves and slowly wandered down the street. There were no vehicles anywhere, but all the more people. Ami saw portly ladies and gentlemen clad in silk and linen, with velvet caps and wide dresses, but also people clad in simple clothes, most likely workers or farmhands. Not too few men and women also were just dressed in dirty rags. But one thing about them was the same: They were all happy. They were laughing, dancing on the street, drinking all kinds of alcoholic beverages and danced with each other. Several stands were at the side of the street, where vendors sold food, drinks, and other goods. Citizens were looking out of the windows and threw colorful confetti down on the street.
"Looks like they are celebrating something," Ami assumed.
"Seems like it," Mikuru nodded. "Although I can't remember that today is supposed to be a holiday."
"Look, they are all heading towards the big plaza up ahead," Ami said. "Let's check it out, maybe we can find out more."
"Okay," Mikuru nodded.
There were even more people on the plaza. Long, colorful flags were hanging down from the buildings. Towering over all the other buildings was a majestic temple, with a long and broad stairway leading up to the entrance, that was being flanked by marble pillars. Images of gryphons and the sun were decorating its walls. Soldiers in heavy armor and long lances were guarding the entrance and made sure that only the richest people could enter the temple.
Mikuru gasped. "I... I know that temple! It's... it's Queen Haruhi's most important temple in all of Aurius... the Sun Temple in Gareth! Ami-san, we are in Gareth... the biggest city of Aurius, and the capital of the Middle Realm! I should have recognized it earlier... now if I only knew the reason for this celebration... there is no national holiday in Haruhi-sama's name today. So why are so many people going to the temple?"
Ami tried to see more, but the people were pushing her around, and it was hard to see anything in the middle of this crowd.
"C'mon, Mikuru!" she said. "Let's find some place that's not as crowded. That building over there, with the beer mug on the wooden sign... isn't that a tavern?"
"I think so. Good idea, Ami-san!" the gryphon-turned-human smiled. "Most people will probably stay outside to celebrate. But in there, we can take a little rest, and maybe get something to drink."
"Yeah, and maybe I can get some information..." Ami murmured. Together, they waded through the crowd, until they reached the tavern.
Ami looked up and read the tavern's name. "The Golden Rooster."
While she was looking up at the sign, the door opened and a young man came outside. Ami didn't see him, since she was still looking up. But he wasn't looking where he was going either.
"Oh, my apologies," he said when they ran into each other. "I'm so careless..."
"Oh no, I wasn't watching either," Ami quickly said.
"I shall forgive you, then," the man grinned. "Nothing shall keep our spirits down at the birthday of our beloved princess!"
'So that's why the townspeople are celebrating,' Ami thought. 'It's their princess' birthday.'
The man she had run into was tall and handsome, and curly, chestnut brown hair that was cascading down his shoulders. He was wearing a colorful vest and a brimmed hat with a long, red feather.
He took his hat off and gave Ami a short bow. "Allow me to introduce myself... my name is Nephrite... Nephrite Nabikos from Gareth! At your service!"
Ami gasped. "NEPHRITE??"
High above Gareth, on a rainbow that was arching across the nearly cloudless sky, a young woman with pink hair and a colorful dress was sitting. She looked down at what was happening on the streets of Gareth and smiled.
She turned her head around when a huge dragon approached her. She waited until it had landed on top of the rainbow and turned into a handsome man.
She smiled. "Hi, Daddy!"
Mamoru smiled back at his daughter. "Hello, Chibiusa! You are watching the results or your work, I see?"
She nodded. "Yup! It was about time, don't you think? I mean, I know Hotaru-chan wanted me to give their souls a long time ago, but Haruhi just didn't want to allow it..."
Mamoru chuckled. "Maybe Kyon managed to convince her..." He sat down next to her. "So, how are my former guardians holding up?"
"They're doing great, Daddy!" the Godddess of Renewal smiled. "They don't remember anything from their former lives, of course... and each one of them has chosen a different goddess as their patron, even Beryl. Nephrite, for example, has chosen Nabiki... Kunzite chose Haruka... and Beryl chose Ami."
"That's good to hear," Mamoru said. "I wonder when Ami plans to tell her younger self that she wants her to guide them in their new life... but say, you didn't even mention Jadeite or Zoisite. How come?"
Chibiusa grimaced. "Well... before I sent them down to their new lives... Zoisite asked me to reincarnate him as an elf."
Mamoru raised his brows. "An elf? That means he doesn't follow any of the goddesses?"
"Of course not," Chibiusa huffed. "Have you ever seen a religious elf? Besides, he clearly stated that he wanted to be a WOMAN in this lifetime."
Her father shrugged. "Well, it's his decision... and what about Jadeite?"
"That's what bothers me the most..." Chibiusa grumbled. "He was reborn as a Novadi."
"So what? That just means he's willing to live in the desert, be a nomad, become a master of survival and..."
"Hello? A NOVADI, Daddy! Do you know which god they praise?"
The High Dragon paled. "Y-you mean... Kuno?"
"Exactly!" Chibiusa grumbled. "Kuno, the 'Messiah of the Desert'. And the worst part is, now that Jadeite's reborn, I can't do anything about it..."
"Well, maybe it's not going to be too bad," Mamoru muttered. "It could be worse... image if he was reincarnated as an orc... or even a goblin."
Chibiusa chuckled. "Now you're being silly, Daddy! I was making sure that he'd be a human. By the way, I told Ranma what we did to Beryl and her former generals."
"So? What did he say?"
The young goddess grinned. "He said he also was keeping a soul back for reincarnation... and he hopes that this person will be reformed, too, just like our 'dark generals'."
"Interesting," Mamoru muttered. "I wonder... what kind of person could that be?"
Chibiusa looked down at Gareth. "I don't know, but it seems like Ami-chan's about to find out..."
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(Posted Mon, 09 Jun 2008 15:04)
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